Cross Country came to town at the weekend when the New Zealand Championships were held at the Auckland Domain.
The central location provided an outstanding course which was demanding in the heavy conditions and technically difficult with many tight turns.
Christian Conder, who has not raced since New Zealand Secondary Schools back in June, made an excellent return to competition in finishing 6th in the Under 20 Men's race.
Conder is clearly on the road to recovery following a recurrence of the injury first sustained on the tour to the ISF World Schools Cross Country in Hungary in April.
The injury had kept him out of the North Island Cross Country in Taupo at the start of July.
Conder is a first year junior (under 20) and was competing in his first major 8kme race. Conder ran conservatively over the first three laps and came home well over the final lap to finish a highly creditable 6th. He defeated two of the athletes who finished ahead of him in Rotorua at New Zealand Schools (Daniel Hoy and Angus White who finished first and second respectively). Only Jared Lautenslager of those ahead of him at New Zealand Schools finished in front of him.